Ava - Eight Months

The last month for Ava can best be described with two words: movement and discovery. She has discovered all kinds of new "tricks" recently, including how to clap her hands, give kisses, and even pull up. It is so amazing to watch her little face as she studies the world and people around her...taking it all in and showing off her new skills.

And she is all over the place! Ava goes from crawling, to sitting, to standing all in a blink of the eye. This video pretty much captures it...

Ava continues to be such a sweet, happy baby, and her personality is really starting to show. She loves to smile and has a great sense of humor. She is also really only fussy for a short period of time right before her two naps and bedtime. We are so ridiculously lucky!

She still drinks five eight-ounce bottles a day and is learning to love solid food. Ava has also been practicing with water in the sippy cup...but she isn't quite sure what to think of the water. She usually gives me a look like "Mom, where is the milk?"

Last month flew by as usual and it was filled with lots of fun activities, including our trip to the Arboretum, Ava's first TCU football game, and a visit to my office.

Below are the best pictures from this month's photo shoot. There aren't many because our little wiggle worm did not want to cooperate. 

Stats:

• No official stats this month, but she weighs 19 pounds according to our scale at home. 

Likes:

• Her WubbaNubs are still her most treasured possessions. When I get her in the morning, she is usually sitting in her crib with one in her mouth and the other one (or two) on her lap. 
• Going on walks and swinging at the park. It is so wonderful that the weather has finally cooled off enough to enjoy walks after work!
• The Fisher-Price Musical Table that Tori gave us. She especially loves the "book" part of the toy and flips the pages constantly. 

• Watching Stella and Louie. I have a feeling "dog" will be her first word other than Mama and Dada, because she adores the dogs and already tries really hard to copy me when I say it. 
• She has gained more of an appetite for solid food, and leans toward me for every bite. Her favorites are carrots and pretty much any fruit. Ava also discovered how wonderful banana-flavored puffs are!

Dislikes:

• Green vegetables. I wonder where she gets that from ;).
• Having her nose wiped...still. 
• Laying on the changing table. All she wants to do is turn over and try to stand up. It is nearly impossible to get her diaper changed. 

Milestones/Firsts:

• Ava has mastered the traditional method of crawling. But she likes to throw in her inchworm move for good measure every now and then.
• She says "Mamamama" and "Dadadada" a lot, and it really seems like she is directing it at us...but not always at the right person. 
• As mentioned in a previous post, she learned how to give kisses. I can't tell you how much I love this development :). 

• Ava puts her arms up in the air now when she wants to be picked up.
• She also learned how to clap, and I love the look of wonder on Ava's face as she stares at her hands. I love this video. 

• Her top right tooth is barely peeking through. Luckily, this one hasn't seemed to give her that much trouble. 
• Speaking of teeth, we started brushing Ava's last month. And by brushing, I mean we give her the toothbrush with a tiny amount of baby toothpaste, and she chews on it while we put on her diaper and lotion after her bath. It is a great distraction tool!
• Ava got to move to the front of the stroller (we would have done so sooner, but we weren't taking any walks due to the heat/mosquito situation). Can you tell how happy she was about the transition? 

• And finally, a milestone that I was definitely not ready for yet...pulling up. This is a picture from the first day she tried out her new trick. Notice the pointed toes :). 

It caught us completely by surprise, and we had to quickly lower her crib mattress! She is a pro now, and pulls up on everything in sight. She can even "cruise" between things that are really close together, and has learned how to sit back down (which makes me a lot less nervous). And she really loves pulling up on the new gates. 

"Let me out!"

And finally, some of my other favorite pictures from last month...

So serious about her toy. 

The look on her face right when her Dad walked in the door from work. Love. 

And speaking of her Dad, she absolutely adores hanging out with Josh. It is one of the only times she doesn't mind sitting still for extended periods of time.

Hanging out with her Aunt Hannah watching the first TCU football game of the season. 

Just before we lowered the mattress.

Celebrating "National Night Out" at Tietze Park. It made me really appreciate our neighborhood.

 Ava was way too distracted by all the excitement to even look at the camera.

Being silly in the exersaucer. 

"Hi, Mom."

Hi, sweet baby girl. We love you so much.